[dallas-dec. 30] Pizza Hut was to break a new campaign Jan. 1 that spotlights real employees' comments on product quality and service. The "open memo" spots, by BBDO Worldwide, New York, will feature footage of workers on the job talking to other employees about their commitment to quality.

[new york-dec. 30] American Media's National Enquirer and Star plan major reductions in their rate bases in 1997, the second year in a row the titles have made cuts. The Enquirer will drop its rate base 7.4% to 2.5 million; the Star's will fall 8% to 2.3 million. Both also were to eliminate the 2% cash discount for ads, effective Jan. 1. In the six-month period ended June 30, 1996, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported, the Enquirer's circulation fell 2.3% to 2.6 million, at a time when it was promising to deliver a 2.7 million rate base; the Star was off 9.4% to 2.3 million, at a time when it was guaranteeing a rate base of 2.5 million.

[new york-dec. 30] We, a lifestyle magazine for Americans with disabilities, debuts as a 100,000 controlled-circulation every-other-monthly in mid-February. Ray Capolla, who most recently ran the business-to-business rep company Capolla Group, is publisher; Bruce Barton, former group ad sales director at Petersen Publishing, is ad director.

[new york-jan. 1] Merrill Lynch & Co. on Jan. 1 planned to air a one-day $4 million global TV campaign wishing viewers a good year. The company has no plans to rerun the spots, which were created by Bozell.

[washington-jan. 2] Abbott Laboratories, in a settlement announced by the Federal Trade Commission, agreed not to make "doctors recommend" claims for its Ensure beverage without proper substantiation, and not to compare Ensure to vitamin supplements. The FTC said Abbott lacked adequate substantiation for Ensure ads that claimed many doctors recommended Ensure as a meal supplement and replacement, and falsely claimed that Ensure provides vitamins in amounts comparable to typical multivitamin supplements.

[chaska, minn.-dec. 30] NordicTrack and actress Linda Evans are introducing the Linda Evans LegShaper Plus exercise machine. Miss Evans and NordicTrack said the LegShaper Plus is the first home exercise machine designed for women that targets the problem areas of the legs, hips, thighs and buttocks, and provide an effective aerobic workout. It will be available at NordicTrack retail outlets and sold direct via an infomercial.

[san francisco-jan. 2] Dennis Foley and Jim Magill, two agency veterans who once worked at Hal Riney & Partners, have moved to Zuckerman Fernandes MacDaniels Sproul, each with the title of exec VP, and closed their Corte Madera, Calif., agency. Foley & Magill accounts such as Union Bank of California and S&W Fine Foods will move to Zuckerman, bringing the agency's billings to more than $45